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Posted: Sep 17, 2010

Government of Lithuania and IBM announce research partnership on nanotechnology and healthcare

(Nanowerk News) The Government of Lithuania and IBM today announced a joint research partnership in Lithuania that will enable research and development of nanotechnology, healthcare and intellectual property (IP) management innovations.

Under the five-year agreement, the Lithuanian Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Education and Science has decided to launch a new research center and IBM will contribute existing assets and research expertise from IBM Research laboratories in Zurich, Almaden, New York and Haifa. Lithuania and IBM will share equal rights to the intellectual property, and R&D commercialization, such as patents, IP licenses, products and prototypes that result from the research center's activities.

The Lithuanian research center also will involve scientists from Lithuanian universities (Vilnius University, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas University of Medicine) and institutions (Santariskes Hospital) who are focused on developing innovations that will contribute to the development of a knowledge-based society in Lithuania, and will enable the Lithuanian research center to become a focal point for healthcare, life sciences, and nanotechnology in the Baltic region.

In the area of nanotechnology, IBM and Lithuanian scientists will focus on integrated photonics and novel photonic materials for faster computers of the future and nanopatterning security tags for advanced anti-forgery technology at IBM's new, state-of-the-art nanotechnology center in Switzerland that opens next year.

Researchers from IBM's lab in Haifa, Israel, will partner with Lithuanian scientists on a variety of healthcare projects that will aim to provide a better understanding of how to diagnose, and treat life-threatening diseases, such as cardiovascular disease.

"Working with IBM researchers will provide Lithuania with a strong impulse for further scientific progress and offer access to expertise from some of the best scientists in the world," said Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius. "Lithuania may boast of its top level scientists, but as a small country it lacks experience on how to sell its research results. This partnership with IBM is a winning opportunity for scientists of Lithuania, who will gain the knowledge needed to help their country earn independently from the research results," said Prime Minister.

"IBM is committed to working with governments, academic institutions and businesses across the world to address some of the most complex problems and emerging research challenges," said Tom Reeves, vice president, IBM Research Partnerships. "Our research partnership with Lithuania presents an opportunity to share skills, assets and resources to achieve common research goals in nanotechnology, healthcare and intellectual property."

Patents are an important component of IBM's high-value business strategy and, as the leading recipient of patents for 17 consecutive years, IBM's record for technology invention and innovation is unmatched. IBM researchers contributed significantly to the overall total of 4,914 U.S. patents the company's inventors received in 2009.